Long Hammer (Red Hook Ale Brewery - Portsmouth, NH)

Red Hook moved east and made it’s delicious ale collection available to everyone in the “W” call letter land.

We recently purchased the Red Hook sampler platter, so we could review a bunch of beers in a row. First up? The Long Hammer IPA.

This is a delicious beer, and is notable for the lack of hop explosion in the mouth upon blast off. It’s a delicious mix of bouncy hops, smooth malt and delicious taste. We’re not going to say it’s the best, but it is certainly up there and comes highly recommended by the brass here.

If you’re into the kind of beer that lets your mind wander a bit as you savor every succulent sip, this is about as refreshing of an IPA as you’re going to find anywhere. Why’s that?

Because it’s NOT an IPA. There’s no way. It doesn’t taste like one, and it doesn’t contain the proper hop level or type. It’s an American Amber Ale. Seriously. That doesn’t make it any worse, it just makes the label a slight bit misleading.

Enjoy it while it is in season (is it in season?) and keep it on deck whenever company comes over. You’ll be glad you did.

Rating: 4.5 pints